Ruger Mini-30 (7.62x39R Rifle) - Opinions or Recommendations?

EDIT: Title is wrong, Caliber is 7.62x39. x39R seems to imply either Russian or Rimless. Some say if it says R it is russian surplus, others say rimless.

Hi Guys,

I am looking to pickup a new rifle and have come across the Ruger Mini 30 (I personally really like Ruger firearms). It has an M1 style action rifle and shoots 7.62x39R cartridges. Having shot an old M1 carbine I really like the feel of it but wanted a bit of a modern update. I also have friends that own AK47 chambered in 7.62x39 so I can also reload with them and split some of the costs.

Other guns I have recently considered are an AK47 and an AR15

I have shot a few AR15s and while I like them I just feel like it's a super common rifle and doesn't excite me a whole lot... unless you put a supressor on it.

I feel the same way about the AK47s and am just not really interested in them.

I'm really looking for something that when I go to the range it's a bit different, still pretty neat looking and is a blast to shoot... I think i've shot everyone at my local range's ARs as mostly that and AK47s are what is there.

All of my shooting so far is just range plinking. I don't really plan to compete in anything or do hunting, I just like guns for a hobby, enjoying with and making friends .

So far I own and reload for:

Ruger GP100 6"
Henry Big Boy .44 Magnum lever action

I should have my Ruger 22/45 Lite next week I hope!

I also have a Remington over under for sporting clays, I forget the model but it has ducks engraved on it that are gold and the rest silver.

Any comments or recommendations on the Mini-30 rifle or any others? I am really looking for a semi-auto at this point, I will get a bolt action eventually but that will be a bit later on. I want to be priced around $800-$1400.

From what i've seen, the cheap ammo is steel (wolf, bear, etc). Nicer ammo comes with brass cases (I don't shoot Blazer in my pistols). Many people reload 7.62x39 without issues using brass cases just like any other rifle cartridge.

I'm not looking to shoot really cheap military surplus ammo but will make good quality brass cased ammo. Most of what I can find in relation to the mini 30 is that some barrels were .311 then choked down to .308 to shoot foreign/surplus. It sounds like the newer ones might be .310. I'd just slug the barrel and buy the appropriate bullet.

I've seen a couple postings (probably all derived from the same forum post ages ago) where milsurp ammo or wolf brand fails to fire due to hard primers. I know CCI are a bit harder but i've seen people using CCI large and small rifle primers for mini 30s.

I am wondering if it's as fun to shoot as an M1 and if I get the feeling it is, i'm gonna buy it .

I am wondering if it's as fun to shoot as an M1 and if I get the feeling it is, i'm gonna buy it .

It's been awhile since I've shot either a Mini-30 or a Mini-14, but if I recall correctly, shooting them feels a lot like shooting a SKS. Not awful, but nothing spectacular either. I think my M1 carbines are a lot more fun to shoot. I think both of mine are "modern" enough - they're both wearing synthetic stocks, one folding one fixed with Burris fastfire red dot. I'd say if you want an M1, get an M1.

At the last Sea Cadet training I instructed at, we had a M1 Carbine and Mini14 (older 187 series I believe) and I was very much able to draw a comparison between the two. With 762x39, the comparison is even more visible; carbine (though with an 18" barrel, more 'rifle'), .30 cal, effective out to a few hundred yds. Rugged, reliable, same action...

Looking back, I should have not gotten my 581 Mini14 and gotten the Mini30 and not even needed an AK. The newer versions with better tooling and tolerances and heavier barrel are great and address many of the issues that 'plague' the Mini platform. Throw Tech Sights and an Accu-Strut on and you've got a rifle that handles all of the 'issues'.

Have you guys done research on reloading 762x39 or done it yourselves? Everything I see is that it's straightforward as most other rifle cartridges. Of course you will run into issues trying to reuse milsurp stuff that's berdan primed and in steel cases.

I see videos all over youtube of lubing, full length sizing, trimming, powder dropping, seating the bullet and crimping.

7.62x39 in steel case is cheap. So unless you can reload for less than $0.19-20 a round (depends on how you value your time)....you're wasting time/money. If you're making "nice" rounds because you want them to be pretty at the range, go nuts.

The 7.62x39 is the wrong round/rifle if you're going to be out there trying to shoot dime sized groups at 100 yards. If you want, you can buy really nice (and expensive) Lapua 7.62x39 rounds, etc.

7.62x39 in steel case is cheap. So unless you can reload for less than $0.19-20 a round (depends on how you value your time)....you're wasting time/money. If you're making "nice" rounds because you want them to be pretty at the range, go nuts.

The 7.62x39 is the wrong round/rifle if you're going to be out there trying to shoot dime sized groups at 100 yards. If you want, you can buy really nice (and expensive) Lapua 7.62x39 rounds, etc.

Skip the reloading unless you do it as a hobby. By the way, Hornady makes a nice 7.62x39 VMAX round if you want to use it for defense/hunting etc.

This. It's not that it's tough, it's that the d@mn East Bloc still makes it so much cheaper. I got 2k rds of Golden Tiger shipped for roughly $.23 a round. That's tough to beat with reloading; now, for .223/5.56, .308, 30-30, etc, reload because you will see a definite savings even over a short period of time.

Any comments or recommendations on the Mini-30 rifle or any others? I am really looking for a semi-auto at this point, I will get a bolt action eventually but that will be a bit later on. I want to be priced around $800-$1400.

From all the things I have read the Mini 30 is a great American alternative to a Com-Bloc Rifle. The one bad thing is the light primer strikes on steel cased Russian ammo. Here's a great review on it back when I was looking into buying one (still am just picked up an Enfield though). http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum...ni-30-Tactical

Originally Posted by Mr Miyagi

And, if the situation calls for it, you could break out some drumsticks and play the xylophone on her ribs

Originally Posted by TheDarkEnergist

God dammit Miyagi, go to school. Who the f**k plays the xylophone with drumsticks?
You use mallets. Idiot.

From all the things I have read the Mini 30 is a great American alternative to a Com-Bloc Rifle. The one bad thing is the light primer strikes on steel cased Russian ammo. Here's a great review on it back when I was looking into buying one (still am just picked up an Enfield though). http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum...ni-30-Tactical

The Wolf Extra Power Springs help with the light primer strikes. Only downside to the Mini-30 is the same problem that plagues the whole platform: expensive mags. However, once you accept that as a cost of doing business, you're all set.

The Wolf Extra Power Springs help with the light primer strikes. Only downside to the Mini-30 is the same problem that plagues the whole platform: expensive mags. However, once you accept that as a cost of doing business, you're all set.

Thanks! I'll see if I have any problems and if I do i'll grab the springs.

EDIT: Did you order the model with the newer heavier tapered barrel or the older pencil barrel like the one in the pic you posted? Either way, enjoy!!

Ordered a brand new model . Supposedly the old barrels were .308 and liek you said, tapered. That would result in accuracy problems with any surplus ammo (As I believe 7.62x39 is going to be .311 or .310 diameter bullets.

Ordered a brand new model . Supposedly the old barrels were .308 and liek you said, tapered. That would result in accuracy problems with any surplus ammo (As I believe 7.62x39 is going to be .311 or .310 diameter bullets.

Looking forward to getting it in next week!

Nice! My Mini14 with no work done shoots around 3-5" depending on how well I do my part @ 110yds. Adding an Accu-Strut tightens the groups more, even with the heavier barrel. Mine now shoots around 3" even after 80+rds of continual shooting. The heavy barrels make such a great difference.

I will suggest getting a ventilated handguard; the OEM Ruger piece, despite having holes, is not ventilated and has a heat shield that reflects heat back towards barrel. Get a true ventilated one, I think Choate makes a black polymer one for around $15, and you will see groups stay small as heat doesn't build up as much.

I have one in stainless with wood, Wold Springs, recoil buffer pad, stock sites. It's been a great little gun. Accurate, easy to shoot/operate, no recoil, rounds are easily available and affordable, fairly easy to strip and clean, fairly light...